Whether you’re a blogger or a small business owner with a website, the cornerstone of SEO is backlinks. What are backlinks? In plain English it is when another site links back to your site.

The more the merrier. But how do you get backlinks? There are many ways to gain links back to your blog, below i highlight just a few. In all 9 relatively easy (and free) methods. Enjoy!

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1. Guest Posting – This is by far one of the absolute best methods to generate good backlinks to your blog or site. Why? Because you get to literally choose which blog to submit to and this could be a high PR site, a highly targeted niche, a high traffic blog, etc.

2. Yahoo Answers – I found out about this one, when one day i was looking at my backlinks on a blog of mine, and noticed a link from Yahoo Answers. Someone had reference a blog post of mine as an answer to a question. Pretty cool.

3. Digg – This method is solid, but become an active member. Don’t just visit once a week and drop a link, or most likely you will get banned. Submit stories from reputable and big name sites like CNN, WSJ, etc. When you write a killer post, submit it and share it with your friends.

4. Digital Point Forum – This method involves joining the forum, becoming active and adding your links in signature area of your member profile. You’re only allowed a few links in there, so use wisely.

5. Blog Carnivals – In my opinion, this is the second best method to generate backlinks to your blog, and is pretty easy to do. Go to the blog carnival website, find related topic carnivals and submit your best blog posts. That’s it.

6. Do Follow Blog Commenting - Some blogs allow for links back to your blog when you leave a comment, these types of blogs are considered dofollow blogs. Find relevant niche dofollow blogs and leave good comments.

7. Top Commentators Widget – This is a widget that some WordPress bloggers use to thank their commenters. Essentially when you get listed on this widget, you get a linkback from the carrier blog.

8. (Creative Backlink Method) – ContestBlogger.com – Running a blog contest? Then be sure to submit it to this site, as not only will you get interested parties coming to check out your hot new contest, but you will get a nice shiny new backlink as well.

9. The Almighty Blogroll Link- Keep in mind that an established blogger with a PR 3 and above Google pagerank isn’t likley to give up a coveted blogroll spot to a new blog with zero rank. Why? Because (in Googles eyes) this blog is not yet gained any authority and you should not be linking to it. The best type of link for a new blog is another new blog in the same niche. If you find someone with an established blog to give up a blogroll link, something is wrong. Stay away.

Some other cool ways to build good backlinks to your blog or website include press releases, wordpress theme links, widgets, article marketing, directories, and the list goes on and on.

Key is relevancy and to stay away from what Google considers “bad neighborhoods”, in other words sites with little to no content and a bunch of ads. Steer clear of these sites.

Share Your Creative Link Building Ideas Below?

What creative backlinks methods have you tried and or heard about that caught you by surprise? Please share below.